Maritime Heritage Festival

The Maritime Heritage Festival returns to the Halifax waterfront for its second year on September 12 and 13, 2026, taking over the anchor yard, courtyard, wharves, and boardwalk behind the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. The free, family-friendly weekend celebrates Nova Scotia's seafaring history with ship tours, live music, hands-on boat-building, and demonstrations spread across the Maritime Heritage District. Hours run 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. both days, with the museum's partners — Build Nova Scotia, the Canadian Naval Memorial Trust, and the Downtown Halifax Business Commission — anchoring the site.

The headline draw is free access to three nationally significant ships: the CSS Acadia, the Second World War corvette HMCS Sackville, and the Bluenose II, with deck tours daily from 12:30 to 7:00 p.m. The festival's new Boat School is the second centrepiece — a working demo space where visitors can try steam bending and traditional boat-building skills, alongside wooden small craft including the schooners Solace and Comet II. On shore, more than a dozen maritime organizations set up along the wharves, from the Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic and the Naval Museum of Halifax to the Bedford Institute of Oceanography and the Canadian Sea Turtle Network.

Live programming fills the Anchor Yard both days: Drummers From Home open at 10:00 a.m., Elder Cathy Martin follows at 11:00, with Ellen Gibling (Saturday 1:00 p.m.), Patrick Madden & Katie Blythe (Saturday 2:00 p.m.), Amethyst Highland Dancers (Sunday 12:30 p.m.), and Nova Voce (Sunday 1:30 p.m.) rounding out the stages. Admission is free with no tickets required. The festival pairs naturally with the museum's permanent galleries — the Halifax Explosion exhibit and the Age of Steam and Cunard — and makes an easy add-on to any weekend in the city; see our Halifax waterfront guide for the surrounding district.

Make the most of your time in Halifax Metro - pair Maritime Heritage Festival with our Halifax Dining Guide, Family Travel Guide, and Best Day Trips from Halifax. They're each packed with itinerary ideas, local tips, and everything you need to extend your stay.